Why is Chipotle, known for generously packing its burritos, now turning to AI?
Chipotle Mexican Grill has rolled out an AI-powered assistant named “Ava Cado” to accelerate how it recruits, screens, and schedules job candidates. The chatbot, developed by HR tech firm Paradox, is already handling multilingual conversations, fielding applicant questions, and booking interviews across Chipotle’s fast-expanding restaurant network and the company says it’s seeing results.
Application volume has increased “dramatically,” according to chief human resources officer Ilene Eskenazi. Ava Cado helps job seekers complete their applications faster by auto-filling information they provide during the chat. The result: an 85% application completion rate and an average of eight minutes per application, down from previous benchmarks that took far longer.
“That has greatly increased our funnel so that we’re serving up many more candidates for our managers to evaluate,” Eskenazi said. The company, which plans to open roughly 300 new restaurants per year around one every 24 hours expects to hire between 9,000 and 10,000 new employees annually to meet demand.
Managers are no longer burdened with manually scheduling interviews for online applicants or walk-ins. Ava Cado coordinates those logistics and aligns availability based on calendar windows set by store leaders. “They’re much more informed about what the job really is,” Eskenazi added. “By the time they’re meeting a hiring manager in person, they’re more interested and more prepared.”
Hiring time has been cut by as much as 75%, dropping from an average of 12 days to just three and a half, according to CEO Scott Boatwright. “We leaned into an AI hiring assistant from Paradox about six months ago that has put us on better footing from a staffing perspective,” Boatwright told CNBC’s Jim Cramer. “In the eight years I’ve been in the organization, we’re pushing past numbers we thought were all-time highs just last year.”
Importantly, the tool does not screen resumes or make employment decisions, human managers still lead interviews and own final hiring calls. Ava Cado’s role is strictly administrative, collecting applicant data, automating responses, and managing scheduling logistics. “We have a strong interview and training process that our managers will continue to lead,” Eskenazi said.
Chipotle is among a growing list of companies turning to AI for frontline hiring. Paradox, the vendor behind Ava Cado, has over 1,000 clients, including 7-Eleven, General Motors, Marriott, and Nestlé. But the growing use of automated hiring tools has also drawn scrutiny. Earlier this year, a security researcher identified a vulnerability in Paradox’s platform that exposed personal applicant data. No breach was confirmed, and Paradox stated that no data was leaked. Still, the incident highlighted concerns over data governance in AI-powered recruitment.
For now, Chipotle is pressing forward. Eskenazi said the company is exploring ways to expand Ava Cado’s capabilities, including showing candidates videos about life at Chipotle or suggesting alternate locations when positions are unavailable nearby. “There are ways AI can also be integrated into the company’s learning and development programming,” she noted.
The company is also deploying AI across other parts of its business. Robots have been piloted to help prepare avocados and cook tortilla chips, and AI is increasingly being used in customer retention. Chipotle’s loyalty program now uses AI to tailor promotions to customers based on order history and timing. For example, if a customer hasn’t visited in two weeks, personalized offers may escalate over time to entice a return.
Boatwright made clear that the company’s focus isn’t automation for automation’s sake. “We don’t look to replace the human experience,” he said. “We look to remove waste and expand or enhance the team member experience.”
That approach comes as the company tries to balance operational improvements with mixed traffic results. Despite staffing gains, Chipotle reported declining foot traffic for the second straight quarter. While Ava Cado may be helping restaurants stay staffed, it hasn’t yet translated into increased customer volume.
Still, executives remain bullish on AI’s role in scaling the business. “This not only helps us keep our restaurant staffed, but ensures we have the best talent that’s available in the industry,” Boatwright said. And with new store openings nearly every day, Chipotle’s hiring infrastructure continues to scale.
